A Jedi's Love
by the-writer1988
Summary: Sequel to 'A Mother's Love'. The war has ended and the Republic is rebuilding after the Clone Wars, but Obi-Wan Kenobi's trials are only just beginning. The escape of two criminals from the Jedi Temple leads to a series of events that not only changes Obi-Wan's life forever, but that of Duchess Satine Kryze…
1. Prologue

**A/N) Hello everyone! I'm back with a new story, this time a sequel to my first Star Wars story 'A Mother's Love'. I know I said it was unlikely to have a sequel but this idea came to me months ago and I vowed to write it and over the last five months or so I've slowly been writing it – it is not complete yet, but I have about 10 chapters worth to post so I figured while I'm trying to finish my other story 'The Protector' I can, at least, start posting this one.**

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**Title:** A Jedi's Love

**Author:** the-writer1988

**Rating:** T

**Main Characters:** Obi-Wan Kenobi, Duchess Satine Kryze, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, and Shmi Skywalker.

**Summary: **Sequel to 'A Mother's Love'. The war has ended and the Republic is rebuilding after the Clone Wars, but Obi-Wan Kenobi's trials are only just beginning. The escape of two criminals from the Jedi Temple leads to a series of events that not only changes Obi-Wan's life forever, but that of Duchess Satine Kryze…

**Pairings: **Obi-Wan/Satine and Anakin/Padmé

**Author Notes: **This is a sequel to 'A Mother's Love'. I don't think it is necessary to read the first one but here is a very brief summary of the story: _Obi-Wan gained permission from the Jedi Council to free Shmi Skywalker when Anakin was 10 years old. Shmi was brought to live on Coruscant and worked in the Jedi Temple, being there for her son and becoming a huge influence in his life. She eventually married and had a daughter. Anakin, with the help of Obi-Wan, his mother, Padmé, and Ahsoka, managed to defeat Palpatine. General Grievous was killed by Anakin, and both Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress are in the custody of the Jedi Order for rehabilitation. Due to the events of 'A Mother's Love', Anakin and Obi-Wan share a strong bond, a bond unseen by the Jedi Order before. The Republic is now recovering from the events of the Clone Wars, and this is where our story picks up…_

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**A Jedi's Love**

**Prologue**

If there was one thing Anakin Skywalker was certain of it was that his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was keeping a secret from him.

A few days ago Anakin had seen Obi-Wan leaving the Jedi Temple in his star-fighter. Their bond, which was usually so strong, had dimmed. Obi-Wan had left the Coruscant system. Temptation had gnawed at the young man, wondering if he should follow or wait for his Master to tell him.

The problem with waiting for that moment was the fact that Obi-Wan Kenobi had been taking sporadic trips off of Coruscant since the end of the Clone Wars two years ago. Anakin knew that his former Master was sneaking off-world for a specific reason. It had to be because he had an eye on someone.

What else could it be if it were not for a woman?

But of course Anakin Skywalker wanted to know _who _his Master was seeing if his theory was correct.

With the Jedi Order now allowing marriages and children, it meant any Jedi could – if they so wished – to pursue a relationship. Anakin's own success at having his mother in his life from the age of ten had been the pivotal factor in changing the fundamental principles of the Jedi Order. Now he was married to Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo, though she was currently on leave from her role due to giving birth to twins six months ago.

Curiosity flared in Anakin. Despite their relatively close bond, he hadn't been able to uncover or even detect any hints of who Obi-Wan's woman was. He knew it had to be a woman he was leaving Coruscant for, his mother had intimated that she knew Obi-Wan's secret, but out of her love and respect for the Jedi Master, she was keeping silent about it.

He knew his Master was not on any assignments. They were both a part of the Jedi Council. What Obi-Wan did, Anakin always knew… but not when it meant Obi-Wan was making sneaky trips off-world. Therefore he had made the logical conclusion that it had to do with Obi-Wan's personal life. It just had to be, hadn't it?

"You're thinking about Obi-Wan again, aren't you?"

Anakin sighed and turned to face his mother. "Am I that readable?"

Shmi Skywalker smiled at her son. "I am your mother." Freedom suited her well.

It had been thirteen years since she had been freed from slavery on Tatooine; her freedom secured on a whim by Obi-Wan who had sought permission from the Jedi Council to release her and allow her to have a presence in her son's life. That decision by the Council had probably been one of the best ones they could have made.

Shmi had grounded Anakin; she had kept him from being influenced by the former Chancellor Palpatine who had turned out to be a Sith Lord intent on turning her son to the dark side of the Force and exterminating the Jedi Order. It had been Shmi's guidance that had steered him away from his influence and that had possibly changed his life. Anakin had defeated Palpatine.

Obi-Wan had been mortally injured fighting Palpatine, yet he had hung on to say a final goodbye, and when he had nearly passed on completely from the world, it had been Anakin's bond with his mother and her belief in him that had enabled Obi-Wan to be brought back. Without his mother, Obi-Wan would be dead.

Anakin sighed, looking over at his mother. "Do you think he will ever tell me what he's doing?"

Shmi smiled gently. "When he is ready to."

Suspicion rose in Anakin's stomach, as it always did when she hinted to him. "You _know_!" he emphasised. "You know what Obi-Wan is up to!"

"He trusted me, Ani," his mother replied. "He will tell you when he is ready."

Anakin smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "So it is a woman he is sneaking off to see?"

"I never said that," said Shmi, turning away from the window and heading back to the kitchen.

Anakin followed. "It's been two years!"

Shmi gently smiled at her tall son. "Two years or not, he was raised with the old Jedi Code and he stuck to it. He was completely loyal to its values. No attachments. If he has someone that he has feelings for, it will take time for him to come to terms with the idea that he can be with them. Two years or not that is still quite short. Give him time." She patted him on the shoulder. "How many Jedi do you know that have had a family since that rule was dismissed?"

"Erm… Not many… Around thirty Jedi have formed attachments. A very small portion of the Jedi Order," replied Anakin.

"There you go then, it is still a new thing for the Order. In time you will see more Jedi have families…" she hesitated and then smiled. "And I think Obi-Wan will be one of them."

Anakin's eyes bulged. "Really?"

Shmi shrugged, enjoying watching her son's reaction. "It's a feeling. I tease Obi-Wan about that often enough."

"I bet he must love you," grinned Anakin, watching his mother's expression with interest.

She shook her head, but before his mother could respond to that, Anakin's comlink bleeped.

Sighing, Anakin retrieved the comlink from his belt and flicked the switch, raising it to his mouth. "Skywalker, here."

Mace Windu's voice came over the comlink. "Anakin, we require your presence at the Temple immediately. There has been a…" there was a slight hesitation, "…situation."

"What's happened?" he asked.

"Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress have escaped."

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Only a short prologue but necessary to set up the main plot point of the story. Chapters are longer than this. **

**Some of this story will be adaptions of The Clone Wars tv series. Despite the Clone Wars ending in this universe, some events are still destined to play out… albeit differently… But yes, Obi-Wan's love interest hinted at the end of 'A Mother's Love' and 'Grandmotherhood' I've decided will be Duchess Satine as I know that character more then I do Siri. I hope this plot-line won't put people off reading this sequel.**

**Chapter 1 will be posted next week. **

**the-writer1988 **


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N) Oh, wow, thank you for the comments! I know this sequel is a surprise to some but it was an idea that came into my head one day and I just thought it worked as a sequel to 'A Mother's Love'. Hopefully it will continue to work as I write this story… **

**And for those reading 'The Protector', there will be an update soon. I'm in the middle of writing my last essay I haven't had the time to write the next chapter. Since this story has several pre-written chapters I can update weekly at the moment.**

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**Chapter One**

Anakin arrived at the Jedi Temple in quick timing, with Ahsoka at his side and they walked quickly through the hallways to the main Council Chambers.

Ahsoka, struggling to keep up, shouted at him: "Master? What's the rush? If this is an emergency Council session, why am I needed?"

"You are here because I am going to get us assigned to the mission that will be decided upon today," returned Anakin, not halting his progress, but smiling and acknowledging the passing Jedi in the expansive halls. The early Coruscant sun shined through the tall windows.

"Is it bad then?" asked Ahsoka.

Anakin smirked. "If by bad you mean two escaped prisoners on the loose, then yes, it is very bad." He stopped outside the Council chambers. "If you wait out here, I'll call you in shortly."

"Ventress and Dooku have escaped?" she hissed quietly to him, making an educated guess on their identities.

Anakin nodded. "Yes. With the Republic just settling down to peace, this is the last thing we need. They could restart the war. There are still planets out there that do want to keep the war going on until the Republic is crushed."

"Though they are few and far in between, right Master?" clarified Ahsoka.

Anakin inclined his head. "That's right. Just wait here," he motioned to her as he walked inside the Council chamber.

Ahsoka shook her head, her head tails slightly swinging. Leaning back against the wall she settled in to wait.

* * *

Inside the Council chambers Anakin sat in his chair, one of thirteen Jedi Masters of the Order, the seat he sat in being an extra one that the Council had put in place due to his defeat of the Sith that had sought to destroy the Republic and the Jedi.

There was only one Jedi missing from the Council and that was Obi-Wan. What they needed to discuss couldn't be left until he became contactable. He'd sent a message to the senior leaders of the Council informing them that he was on his way back to the Temple, so their lack of ability to communicate with him was simply that he was travelling through hyperspace.

Mace Windu, one of the most senior Jedi of the Council, leaned forward, a stern expression on his face. "As you all now know, Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress have escaped their imprisonment here in the Temple. Though it has been two years since we did begin our attempts to rehabilitate them, our efforts have been in vein. Dooku remains insistent that the dark side will overcome the Republic and the Jedi, insisting that the Order is still corrupt. Ventress, on the other hand, refuses to think that the Jedi could ever help her. It has made trying to help them rather difficult."

"And the lack of not knowing exactly where Ventress comes from makes it difficult for us to understand her," commented Anakin. It seemed obvious; she had barely spoken to them in the two years she had been a prisoner in the Temple, apart from to curse the Jedi Order. She wasn't willing to impart any of her history to them.

"Unbeknownst to some of you, Obi-Wan has been carrying out a search for information regarding Ventress' history. As he did spend some weeks with her as a prisoner during the Clone War, he volunteered for this assignment. It wasn't on record so none of you knew of it," continued Mace.

That surprised Anakin. He had thought Obi-Wan had been going off to see a woman, but now it seemed he had been trying to trace Ventress' history. Though Anakin knew his mother was keeping something from him about Obi-Wan, and he doubted she knew of this assignment: the only logical conclusion was that Obi-Wan was probably using this assignment to go and see whoever it was he wanted to see on a more regular basis on the pretence of finding research. Of course Anakin had just assumed his trips away from Coruscant meant that he was seeing someone all the time.

He could, of course, be totally wrong, but the feeling that echoed around his bond with his Master seemed to prod him then, telling him that his original thoughts on the matter were entirely accurate.

"How did Dooku and Ventress escape?" Adi Gallia's voice interrupted Anakin's inner monologue and he zoned back into the Council meeting from his thoughts.

Mace leaned forward in his chair, his hands clasped together. "That we don't exactly know, however we can make educated guesses. Knight Arron was found dead this morning from burns, burns that are consistent with Force lightning. The security cameras insider their cells and outside their cells were all destroyed prior to their escape, which suggests outside help."

"Our theory is a very possible one," rasped Plo Koon, the Kel Dor Jedi Master. "I was the one to discover Arron's body, as part of our routine check on the prisoners thrice a week. I checked the security footage and Dooku and Ventress were last recorded to be in their cells last night, with the last footage just before midnight."

"What is the theory?" asked Anakin. He had an uncanny feeling that he knew where this was going.

"Knight Arron could have been manipulated into aiding them. He was a newly qualified Knight, so he fought in the Clone Wars as a Padawan. Just lately he was becoming vocal about the Count's and Ventress' lack of freedom. He suggested that they should at least be let out of their cells once in a while. These little suggestions, little concerns have been building up the last few months. It is possible he was influenced by the words of Count Dooku. They used him to free themselves and then killed him. We did not prohibit discussions between guards and the prisoners – that is a mistake we appear to be paying for now. If there was undermining manipulation on a Knight…"

"Who knows what else they may have been able to achieve whilst in our custody," swallowed Anakin, feeling a little fear.

"Possible it is, they will attempt to bring war to the galaxy again," reasoned Yoda. "Find them we must."

"They could be anywhere by now," replied Anakin. He had to wonder how Dooku and Ventress had escaped the Temple without being seen, but then both were immensely strong in the Force. They could have made their presences undetectable so that they were not seen. And late at night… the Temple corridors were mostly empty. Dooku was also a former Council member. Like Anakin, he probably knew of other ways out of the Temple. "How can we track them?"

"That will be difficult," admitted Mace. "The cameras went down at one-thirty. With Dooku's knowledge of the Temple, they would have been out within fifteen minutes. And they hid their Force presence's so we cannot detect where they left the Temple. Before summoning you all here, Master Yoda and I checked everything. Neither of us can follow them or even detect a hint of their Force auras. If they are still on Coruscant they are hiding them very well. Much as it pains me to say it… we have lost them." It was not easy to admit that they had failed in their duty to contain two dangerous Force users.

"So we just wait for them to strike?" said Adi Gallia. "The Republic is only just getting over the last war!"

Yoda shook his head, his ears twitching slightly. "Wait we will not. Show willingness to find them to the Republic we must. Dispatch Jedi to the planets not currently aligned with the Republic we will. Use them Dooku may do to restart the war."

Despite the end of the war some systems had decided to remain neutral from the Republic, but still have open trade routes. It was an attempt to placate the systems that hadn't been manipulated by Dooku and wanted out of the Republic until all the problems it had experienced were sorted. Slowly but surely the long process of reshaping the Republic was coming to an end, and it was hoped that the remaining few systems would realign with the Republic in the near future. But with Dooku once again on the loose, that future was now uncertain.

Anakin leaned forward. He knew what role he wanted to take. "I wish to volunteer myself and my Padawan," said Anakin.

"We have another assignment for you and Padawan Tano," replied Windu. "In light of Dooku's escape, he could use unrest in a specific system to gain support for another Separatist cause. Before his death Knight Arron could have been sending communications on behalf of the Count. We are looking into the records to see if we can ascertain whether Dooku was sending instructions through Arron. We have already assigned Master Kenobi to this mission when he contacted us earlier to tell us he was on his way back, so we assigned him this mission then, however he has asked for you, Anakin, and your Padawan to join him. We have agreed to his request."

Anakin looked thoughtful. "You've reassigned Obi-Wan?"

"He has a history with the planet involved…" replied Mace hesitantly. "Otherwise we would have kept him on his current assignment."

Anakin nodded. It seemed reasonable to use a Jedi who had a history with a certain planet. The trouble was, was that Anakin felt curious about the history, and he didn't even know which planet they were going to yet! "What is the assignment?"

"You will travel to Mandalore. It is in connection with an attack made on one of our Republic cruisers by a Mandalorian soldier. As Mandalore remains neutral, and was neutral during the Clone Wars, this attack is either an independent attack made by a terrorist group or sanctioned by the Duchess of Mandalore. This needs investigating to determine whether the Mandalorian soldier was acting on behalf of the Duchess or independently, and if he was, then it could suggest they have a benefactor supporting them. This could very well be Dooku. If we uncover anything regarding any communications Knight Arron sent before his death that is relevant to your assignment, we will forward them to both of you and Master Kenobi," explained Mace Windu. "Obi-Wan will meet you on Mandalore."

Yoda looked gravely around at the Council, his ears drooping slightly. "Hope we must that the Sith are not involved. Hope to find Dooku before creates more trouble for the Republic he does."

* * *

Ahsoka had slid down the wall in her boredom. Her Master was taking longer than she had expected, but she supposed they would have a lot to discuss considering Dooku and Ventress had escaped. What was jarring was that she could have been practicing her saber skills, especially as she had just recently adopted the two-blade reverse technique. She still needed to put in a lot of practice before she was sufficient enough to employ that technique in combat.

_Patience, Snips, _Anakin's voice reverberated through her head.

Of course Anakin would be able to sense what she was thinking.

_If you need something to do, go and prepare a shuttle. We have an assignment and inform Captain Rex to stand down. We won't be chasing after Dooku directly, _her Master ordered through their bond.

_Why not? _she asked.

_I'll explain later, _returned Anakin.

Ahsoka sighed, clambered to her feet and went to do as her Master instructed. She had learnt to trust him, to recognise that he'd rather get moving as soon as possible. Whatever their assignment was she supposed it meant he did have to leave quickly, especially if it dealt with Dooku and Ventress' escape in some way.

* * *

Stepping into the shuttle that Ahsoka had prepared for departure, Anakin found his Padawan sitting in the pilot seat. She had grown a lot in the three years he had been teaching her. Her three head-tails had grown past her chest and her two hollow montrals at the top of her head were growing higher: she was fast becoming a full-grown Togruta. He was immensely proud of her and how far she had come in such a short time.

She smiled up at him as he sat down in the co-pilot's seat. "All ready, Master. Engines are warmed and primed to go, all I need now is our exact destination."

Anakin gave her a little grin. Her enthusiasm for their missions was infectious. "We are going to Mandalore. One of our cruisers were attacked by a Mandalorian solider a few days ago. Obi-Wan has been assigned to investigate and he has asked for us to join him. The Jedi Council suspect that this attack could be linked with Dooku and Ventress' escape. We need to uncover whether this Mandalorian attack was sent by the Duchess of Mandalore or if it is an independent attack from a terrorist organisation, that could have been backed by Dooku to help release him." It wasn't his place to tell Ahsoka that a Knight had been manipulated to aid Dooku. Until that information was confirmed (if it was – Arron being dead caused complications as they might not be able to learn if he really had been manipulated into freeing the Count and his apprentice assassin) all he could do was give Ahsoka limited information, though he always made sure to share with her as much information as possible.

"But how would a Mandalorian soldier help Dooku escape? Wouldn't the night guards notice?" asked Ahsoka, programming the co-ordinates for Mandalore into the navigator computer. "Could Dooku have been aided by someone inside the Temple?"

She was far too astute for her age, Anakin had to admit. She had the ability to see things that weren't there. She had managed to guess what the Council were already suspecting. He hesitated before answering. "It is something that we are not ruling out."

Ahsoka nodded, pulling back on the sticks and directing their Jedi shuttle upwards. "I guess there isn't a way we can track Dooku?"

"Not directly," replied Anakin. "There are no traces of him in the Temple anyway. He knows the Force technique to shield your aura so the Jedi Council have no idea how we can track him down. Our only hope is that this Mandalorian attack was influenced by the Count during his captivity, and _then _we can trace them to where Dooku will be. I doubt he will hide on Mandalore though if he has got connections."

Ahsoka's nose bristled. "Why not?"

Anakin shrugged. "Simply because if he is connected to the attack on the cruiser, the last place you would hide is the very planet that you know the Jedi Council are going order an investigation on." He leaned back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. "Besides, the Count is quite a slippery fellow. If we find him we are bringing him back into custody. But if he is on Mandalore…"

"Then we can deal with two problems in one go," grinned Ahsoka.

"Exactly," he answered, though he felt less confident then Ahsoka did. He seriously doubted that the Count would hide on Mandalore; there was no guarantee that the attack had been ordered by the Count, but it was suspicious how the two events had happened so close together. If the Council could obtain proof that Knight Arron had been sending messages on Dooku's behalf and making contacts then they would know that it was a strong possibility he was connected to the unrest on Mandalore.

Anakin just hoped that Dooku and Ventress would be recaptured before they could re-establish the Separatist cause. If they did then the galaxy would be plunged into war again, and the Republic, though thriving once again, would be split in two.

And Anakin Skywalker did not want another war.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**Obi-Wan makes his appearance in the next chapter and we move into the Mandalore Plot from Season 2 of 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' adapted in this story but things occur differently due to the fact that there is not a war on… yet. But, yes, hopefully my attempts at adapting episodes will work in this new timeline of an era of recovery rather than war. **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988 **


	3. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the comments! And now Obi-Wan comes into the story... **

**This chapter and following chapters will contain dialogue from _Star Wars: The Clone Wars - The Mandalore Plot_**episode.

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**Chapter Two**

Mandalore was a vibrant world. Its capital city, Sundari, sat enclosed inside a dome, its lovely architecture spiking up and down, left and right for miles around, glinting in the sunlight that echoed down from filters at the top of the dome.

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi leaned against his starfighter that was docked on one of the few landing platforms that were situated at various points around the outside of the city. The landing points were the only way to get into the city. His eyes were cast upwards as he watched the white Jedi shuttle begin landing procedures. His bond with Anakin was tingling, their minds reconnecting after being so far apart.

Their bond was unique to the Jedi Order – it had been Anakin's bond with Obi-Wan and his mother that had allowed him to save Obi-Wan from death after the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, had mortally wounded him. By all accounts, Obi-Wan should have died, yet Shmi Skywalker's belief in her son, and Anakin's own determination at achieving the impossible had paid off.

They could detect each other's emotions as well as have whole conversations with their minds, they were unique among the Jedi. The high strength of their mental link was more powerful than any other bond known to the Jedi Order: ever since Anakin had brought Obi-Wan back from death, they had been entwined so deeply that neither of them knew where each other ended or began. They were one single entity, but living within two vessels of the Force, combined together by its will.

Though Obi-Wan had to admit that having the bond could be problematic, especially with how deeply they were entwined. Still, at least he had learnt how to block parts of the bond. That had come in useful.

_Please tell me you haven't been waiting long? _Anakin's voice reverberated inside his head.

Obi-Wan smirked. The temptation to toy with his young friend was high, though Anakin was likely to notice by sensing his emotions. _Perhaps I have, _he teased.

_Oh come on, Master, be serious please? _begged Anakin.

_Less than an hour, _relented Obi-Wan, choosing to take his former apprentice out of his misery sooner rather than continue to string him along.

_Good. I didn't want to feel guilty if you were waiting a long time. _

Obi-Wan's eyebrows rose. _And the fact I was waiting less than an hour is grounds for you to not feel guilty? _

Anakin grinned in his mind. _Of course it is! _

Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan watched as the shuttle landed on its struts, powered down and the boarding ramp lowered as Anakin and his Togruta Padawan descended from the ship.

"Well, Master," began Anakin, falling back into the old routine, "it looks like we are paired up again."

"Only because I requested it," replied Obi-Wan mildly. He nodded to Ahsoka. "It is good to see you both."

"So why did you want extra help on this assignment?" queried Anakin. "Investigation does not normally acquire two Jedi Masters to be working together."

Obi-Wan shrugged. He couldn't really explain why he had felt the need to request Anakin's aid; it had really just been a prod in the Force. "Honestly? It was just a feeling. And I'd rather have you here when this assignment pertains to someone I know and only got back into contact with two years ago." He felt a flush of curiosity stem down the bond from Anakin at those words. He knew Anakin suspected he was seeing someone. Though his young friend was right, it was not in the way his former Apprentice assumed.

Obi-Wan had visited Mandalore just once in the last two years and that visit had only occurred because he had needed use of Sundari's large library in his search about Ventress' history. He hadn't expected anything but it had always been good to look. The search had been fruitless, but it had put him back in touch with an old friend. Since then he had remained in contact with her via holo-call every three or four months. That old friend just happened to the Duchess of Mandalore, the very woman he had to go and see now with Anakin and Ahsoka. He fully expected his history with the Duchess to come out. He was certain Anakin would thoroughly tease him if he discovered he had feelings for her.

The trouble was he wasn't ready to say anything because he didn't really know if Sat – _the Duchess_, he reminded himself - had the same feelings as him.

Anakin was grinning, his arms crossed against his chest. "So… is this someone a woman?"

"You are not going to get that information from me that easily," retorted Obi-Wan mildly. It was early days after all.

"Master," Ahsoka piped up, "can you pry into Master Kenobi's personal life later? We do have an assignment."

Anakin chuckled. "But it's so much fun." This reminded him of the day his twin children had been born and he and Obi-Wan had been teasing one another, leading his mother to threaten them with leaving them alone with two small babies if they didn't stop baiting one another. He shook his head. "Sorry, I'll tease him later, if that is alright with you, Ahsoka?"

The Togrutan Padawan glared at her Master. "If you have to. Just give me advance warning so I can lock myself in one of the compartments on the shuttle or a room in the palace if we happen to stay here a while."

Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan led Anakin and Ahsoka towards the Royal Guard who was standing nearby, with an open speeder at the ready. Obi-Wan walked up to the guard and gave a short bow. "Jedi Masters, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, with Padawan Tano, report to you our readiness to proceed to the palace at the Duchess' convenience." It was a formality to verify their identities to the Royal Guard before they were taken to the palace.

The Guard motioned for them to climb onto the speeder. "The Duchess is expecting you." The Guard clambered over into the driver's seat, engaged the power and the speeder lifted off, sped through a short tunnel and out into the city beyond.

* * *

Through the bond Anakin was surprised at how nervous his friend felt. It seemed he was on edge, worrying about the meeting. Anakin was sure now that his former Master had feelings for this Duchess. It made sense, well, at least to him it did anyway. He tried to probe further into Obi-Wan's mind but got blocked by the shields.

_Get out of my head, Anakin! _Obi-Wan's voice reverberated across the bond, echoing inside Anakin's mind.

He wouldn't push his Master. Due to the closeness and entwined nature of their bond, he could easily break through the shields if he chose to. But he wouldn't. He respected Obi-Wan's right to privacy. When his Master was ready he would talk to him, which was the compounding nature of their brotherhood. Anakin could understand why Obi-Wan wanted to keep any feelings he had with anyone close to his chest due to the Jedi Order not allowing relationships for thousands of years, but that had now opened up, the Order now adapting itself to allow Jedi relationships if they wished to pursue one. It was still a new rule introduced barely two years ago and there were only a small number of Jedi that were actively in any relationship. Anakin was among them, being the first one to have Force sensitive children. He could sympathise with Obi-Wan being self-conscious at the prospect of any romantic feelings.

As the speeder travelled to the palace, Anakin cast his gaze around the city architecture. Transparisteel buildings, constructed with permacrete and Mandalorian beskar iron reflected all around him. It was a truly beautiful city, a sight to behold. The architecture showed the trust and the compassion of the new Mandalorian culture. It reflected that they wanted to look away from their barbaric past.

During the trip to Mandalore, Anakin had downloaded all the files on Mandalore the Jedi Temple had. He always liked to make sure he had read all the information available. One of the most interesting things he had uncovered was that Obi-Wan had spent a year-long mission to the planet when he was still a Padawan with his own Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. He knew they had spent that mission protecting the Duchess, helping her survive before she could restore her people's society.

Obi-Wan knew his former apprentice well enough that Anakin would study up on previous records, but despite his teasing nature, Anakin would respect his Master's wish to stay silent on the subject of Mandalore.

"Wow," breathed Ahsoka, "this place is just wonderful!"

Obi-Wan glanced over his shoulder. "It didn't used to be like this."

"What did it used to be like?" queried Ahsoka.

"A wasteland," replied Anakin before Obi-Wan could answer. He had seen the reports – Sundari hadn't been a beautiful city nearly twenty years ago. The city structure had been there but wrecked, dirty and mostly abandoned and not full of the architecture that decorated the city now.

"I should have known you'd dig up the old mission reports," commented Obi-Wan dryly.

Anakin grinned. "Don't worry, Master, I don't know the full details of what you did but I know you ended up at Sundari."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "That was in the mission debriefs, Anakin."

Ahsoka leaned over the railings, her front headtails swishing slightly in the air as they sped through the city towards the palace, that stood tall and shining in the daylight in the city centre.

"Is that the palace?" asked Ahsoka.

"It is," retorted Obi-Wan, gazing at the building as it rapidly sped closer to them. "I've never been in there though."

"That was one of the buildings that did not need any restoration," added Anakin. "Most of the city did."

"I'll have to read the reports. It sounds fascinating." Ahsoka knew better then to rely on Anakin to tell her. She should have read the older reports whilst they were in hyperspace, but she hadn't remembered as Anakin had put her in charge of piloting the shuttle. However Anakin had deliberately left the data-pad out with all the info stored on it for Ahsoka to read. Usually she was very good at researching what she needed to before and during the route to a mission, but this time she had forgotten, by the task of piloting them safely to Mandalore.

The speeder pulled up alongside a short walkway where the three Jedi disembarked.

The Mandalorian Guard stood by the speeder. "Prime Minister Almec will greet you inside the Throne Room."

Obi-Wan bowed his head. "Thank you."

Anakin and Ahsoka exchanged looks as they followed Obi-Wan into the Royal Palace.

* * *

Prime Minister Almec was waiting for them in the middle of the Throne Room as they entered through the great oak doors. He was quite a tall man with a white goatee, and he wore white ceremonial robes, and his unusual violet eyes shone with curiosity. He stretched out his hand to Obi-Wan. "Master Kenobi… I wasn't expecting you to bring other Jedi."

Obi-Wan smiled. "It was a last minute decision. Despite this being an investigation, a Jedi always needs to have support. If there is something going on here, we will find it." He shook Almec's hand and then glanced back at his two companions. "May I introduce my fellow Jedi Master, Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano."

Almec nodded and moved to shake Anakin's hand. "Welcome to Mandalore, Master Skywalker." Then he moved to Ahsoka. "And to you as well, Padawan Tano."

"Thank you sir," replied Ahsoka breezily.

Almec led them up the Throne room, closer to the throne. Long windows adorned the left side of the wall, the sun beating through the tall windows. "I welcome you all as a servant of the people, but it is troubling that the rumours that brought you here pertain to the possibility that we are seeking to reignite the Clone War conflict. I can assure you that Mandalore would never turn against the Republic. The Duchess Satine values peace more than her own life."

Inclining his head, Obi-Wan responded: "I am aware of the Duchess' views." He had spent a year on the run with her after all; he was well acquainted with her opinions.

"Master Kenobi, the violent past that once adorned our culture has firmly been put behind us. All of our warriors were exiled to our moon, Concordia. They all died out, years ago."

Stroking his chin, Obi-Wan frowned. "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

Anakin stepped up. "There used to be a bounty hunter called Jango Fett who wore Mandalorian armour. He was the template for our clone army _and _he used to work for Dooku." It was an attempt to garner a reaction from the Prime Minister.

Almec was affronted by the mere suggestion. "He was just a bounty hunter. How Jango Fett acquired that armour is beyond me!" His voice had risen slightly.

Obi-Wan was about to reply when the side door to the right of them, close to the throne, opened and the Duchess Satine walked in. She wore a dark blue dress, and upon her head sat an elaborate headdress, signifying her position as Duchess on Mandalore. She stepped up to her throne and sat down, the star above the chair brightening.

"Well, Master Kenobi, back here on Mandalore once again. The last time was two years ago when you requested to use our library, and now you are back again, insinuating that I may be attempting to restart your Clone Wars!" she said in a hard voice.

_Ouch. Sorry, I may have angered her by trying to catch out her Prime Minister. _Anakin apologised over the bond.

_It doesn't matter, _responded Obi-Wan. _She was always going to be this way. This is a pacifist world. We are stating that pacifism isn't the rule here and she will feel accused that she's hiding a warrior culture from us to protect her interests. We do not. The Duchess would never allow her world to be consumed by violence again. _

Outloud, and in response to the Duchess, Obi-Wan said: "I would never accuse you of personal wrongdoing. However, one of our Republic cruisers was attacked by a Mandalorian saboteur. Our cruiser was stationed near to the Mandalore sector at the time of the attack."

"You must be mistaken," said Almec, shaking his head. "No Mandalorian would engage in such violence."

Ahsoka reached into her pocket and withdraw a small, round holo-device. She placed it in her right palm and activated the device with her left. A Mandalorian soldier appeared, firing at Clones and running from its pursuers along the corridors of the Republic Cruiser. "Unfortunately, before he could be captured and questioned, he took his own life," added Ahsoka.

Obi-Wan folded his arms. "I know these commandos fought in many wars, often against the Jedi."

The Duchess glared down at him from her podium. "Every one of my people is as trustworthy as I am."

"I know we sound defensive," began Almec but was interrupted by the Duchess.

"Clearly your investigation was ordered because the Senate is eager to intervene in our affairs! We chose to remain neutral during the war and we refused to allow their clone soldiers to be employed in our guard and police forces here on Mandalore! They just want an excuse to send them here!"

Obi-Wan shook his head. He had expected this. "The Jedi Council ordered the investigation." He didn't want to think that Satine was involved. Though they had only shared a few communications in the last two years, Obi-Wan had the feeling their friendship could become something more if they could resolve their differences.

The Duchess rose from her chair. "I stand corrected." She walked down the few steps that led to her chair, holding out her right hand towards Obi-Wan as she did so. "Perhaps you would like to join me on a walk through the city?"

Obi-Wan felt a nudge from Anakin but chose to ignore it. He stepped forward and took the Duchess' proffered hand. "It would be an honour, Duchess."

* * *

They had taken the Duchess' private transport to the Peace Park, a tranquil garden area near to the Palace which held a Memorial Shrine to all those lost during the conflict that the Duchess had lived through before she had succeeded in taking power for her fraction.

Obi-Wan and Satine strolled together whilst Anakin and Ahsoka walked behind, using the Forces senses to look for any sign of trouble.

"It's good to see you again, Obi-Wan, despite the circumstances. I'm glad that you survived your war," said Satine gently.

Obi-Wan hadn't had much of a chance to catch up with Satine when he had put in a request to use her library. He and Satine had exchanged short communications, but this was the first time they had really got the chance to catch-up. "The war was difficult. It's a miracle the Jedi made it through without our reputations being lambasted. I know you chose to remain neutral in the war." He looked around his surroundings, taking in the depth and beauty of the city. "Your peaceful ways have paid off. Mandalore has prospered since the last time I spent a significant amount of time here."

Satine sighed, worry lines appearing on her face. "I wish that was true. Not everyone on Mandalore believes that our commitment to peace is a sign of progress. There is a group called Death Watch. I imagine these are the renegades that you are looking for. They idolise violence and the warrior ways of the past. There are those among us, certain officials who are working to root out these criminals. It has been an on-going investigation."

Obi-Wan frowned. It seemed strange that Satine was having trouble of her own. He had the nagging feeling that Dooku's escape and the attack on the Republic cruiser was linked. "How widespread is this Death Watch movement?"

"It's hardly a movement," explained Satine. "It's a small group of hooligans who choose to vandalise public places, nothing more."

"But how could hooligans attack a Republic Cruiser? That's what you said… you thought they were one in the same, making these attacks linked. It suggests that this movement is more widespread then you thought," said Obi-Wan.

"A few could be more extreme than the others," she replied. "We have tracked them down to our moon, Concordia."

Obi-Wan bit his lip. He had a feeling there was something more to this. "I hope you are right, Duchess."

* * *

Walking behind the Duchess, Anakin and Ahsoka cast their feelings outwards, sensing all around them.

_Remember, everyone we pass, examine them, _said Anakin through their Master and Apprentice bond.

A man walked past him, with bald head, broad cheekbones and wearing the genuine blue suit that most Mandalorian citizens preferred to wear.

Stretching out with the Force, Anakin touched the man's presence. It was erratic, less confident, but above all else focused upon a single task. Suspicion flooded Anakin's brain and he moved to follow the man, who had now past the Duchess and Obi-Wan with a brisk walk.

The man neared the memorial shrine, and from his hand he dropped something onto the concrete floor beside it.

Alarm bells rang as the man quickly moved away from the shrine as the Duchess and Obi-Wan approached.

_Obi-Wan! _he yelled down their bond. _There's a bomb! _

"Hey, you!" he shouted out as the man mingled quickly back into the crowd. As he reached out into the Force, a warning shiver went through him, as the Force trembled, urging him to run…

But it was too late.

The world around them exploded.

**To be continued... **

**Please let me know what you think! **

**As you can see from this chapter there will be differences but some events will still be similar. This is unavoidable in the story I am trying to tell. And this first Mandalore arc needs to be used to set up the rest of the story... and I feel it is a good arc to use to bring Obi-Wan and Satine back together. Anakin and Ahsoka will have their respective roles. **

**Thank you to everyone who has commented! My apologies in the delay posting. I am still writing the next chapter of _The Protector _which I hope to post next week. Chapter Three of _A Jedi's Love _will be posted next week too. **

**Until then, **

**the-writer1988**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N**) **Thank you the reviews so far! My apologies for taking a bit longer then I said to update but here is the next chapter and I should be able to keep with regular updates now.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The force of the blast sent Obi-Wan sprawling, reaching out his hands to push Satine behind him. He scrambled to his feet and found that the memorial shrine had exploded; its pieces were scattered all over the permacrete concrete. People were screaming around them, clutching their loved ones close to them, as if they were afraid they would be ripped away from them. He saw Anakin and Ahsoka rushing towards him.

Turning he sought the Duchess. "Are you all right?" gasped Obi-Wan, gently touching Satine's left arm.

"I'm fine," she replied, brushing away dirt from her arms. The Duchess moved away from Obi-Wan, crouching down to help a younger man get to his feet. The civilian was cradling his right arm.

Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin as he approached. "Did you see anything? I heard your warning, but didn't have time to react before it went off."

"Sorry, I only just realised before he threw the bomb at the shrine," explained Anakin. "I didn't see his face that well and he managed to mingle back into the crowd before the memorial exploded. He could still be here."

Satine stepped up beside them. "This must be the work of an off-worder."

Obi-Wan shook his head, looking over Satine's shoulder at a hovering sign by the memorial. It was red and resembled a shriek-hawk, a predator that existed on one of the worlds within Mandalorian space. "I don't think so."

Satine gasped as she noticed the symbol. "The sign of the Death Watch."

Obi-Wan swallowed, his mind quickly calculating what this attack meant to the Duchess. "This goes far beyond vandalism. This is a political statement against your government and against you. You're not safe here. Ahsoka, take the Duchess back to the palace. Anakin and I will try to locate the bomber."

Ahsoka nodded. "Yes, Master."

Satine's guards surrounded her and Ahsoka started to lead them away, keeping her mind focused upon any more attacks that could occur.

"Can you see him, Anakin?" asked Obi-Wan.

Anakin gave a slight nod. "Yes."

"Be ready," whispered Obi-Wan, "he may run." Raising his voice and speaking to the gathering crowd, he should out: "We need to interview everyone here! Nobody leaves this scene!"

And that was when an older, bald man in the crowd tried to make a run for it.

Before Obi-Wan could react, Anakin had leapt forward, sprinting after the older man.

_Don't kill him! _said Obi-Wan over the bond.

_I'm not going to! _retorted Anakin mildly.

Obi-Wan could see Satine trying to push her way past her guards, whilst Ahsoka pleaded with her to follow her to safety. "Keep her safe!" he yelled at her. And then he heard the sound of blaster bolts above on a balcony that stood partially over the memorial garden. He grabbed his lightsaber from his belt but did not thumb the blade into existence. He stepped back so that he could watch from the ground what was going on, on top of the balcony. He saw the back of the bomber stand right near the edge of balcony, climbing back up onto the railing, spreading his arms wide, shouting something in a language he didn't understand.

_Obi-Wan! I think he's gonna jump! _Anakin's voice reverberated over their bond.

_Don't worry! I've got it! _replied Obi-Wan.

The man fell back.

Obi-Wan reach out with the Force and caught the man as he fell back, lowering the surprised man slowly to the ground and holding him down with the Force so he could not attempt to flee again.

"You caught him!" said Anakin from above before he leapt down, cushioning his own leap with the Force. "I thought you would."

"We need to get him to a secure area where we can question him," nodded Obi-Wan. He looked around at the palace guards. "Can you get this man to a safe place?"

"The Duchess safety is our priority," they responded in unison.

Sure enough, Satine was jogging back over to them, Ahsoka following her, a look of exasperation on her face as she followed the Duchess.

"Sorry Master, she wanted to come back," apologised Ahsoka.

Obi-Wan shook his head. "It's fine." He had known she would want to. He watched as she instructed her guards to do what Obi-Wan had requested, though one stayed with her, intent on protecting her whilst the other three escorted the bomber off the premises.

The Duchess walked over to them. "That was a good catch," she applauded. "You saved his life without the need to resort to violence."

"He did have a blaster though," said Anakin. "He shot at me a few times on the roof."

"But you didn't kill. You used your weapon defensively. That makes all the difference," replied Satine. "Your actions are to be commended." She bit her bottom lip. "I just cannot understand why one of my people would do such a thing, what could have possibly motivated them?"

"That, my lady, is what I intend to find out," said Obi-Wan.

* * *

The bomber was taken by the guards to the prison. Satine returned to the palace with Ahsoka to write an address to her people to explain the situation as the people deserved an explanation, whilst Anakin and Obi-Wan went to the prison under escort to interrogate the prisoner. Permission had been granted by the Duchess, providing of course they did not resort to torture to obtain any information. The two Jedi had agreed to these terms: torture was not within their mandate and they did not have any legal ground on any world to perform such an act upon an unarmed prisoner.

Obi-Wan stood in front of the older man with Anakin standing behind him. Each of them had a specific role to play. Obi-Wan was the interrogator whilst Anakin was the mental pusher. While Obi-Wan questioned the prisoner, and if he proved uncooperative, Anakin would discreetly apply pressure with the Force to the man's brain to entice him to answer. It was an effective technique and the patient wasn't harmed or hurt during the process. It was a technique that the two had developed in the last two years since the end of the Clone Wars, a technique that would have been quite helpful prior to then if they had learnt about it before then. The interrogation technique enabled them to gain answers in a quick and efficient manner that didn't harm the prisoners.

Obi-Wan stepped forward, and looked into the prisoner's face, noting defiance there. "What is your name?"

No answer.

Anakin applied pressure with the Force; Obi-Wan sensed this over their bond.

"Cree Srilem," the prisoner answered.

"And Cree Srilem is your name?" It was just a check, to make sure.

"Yes."

"Why did you bomb the memorial?" Obi-Wan asked, turning the questioning to the point of the interrogation.

Again, no answer, and Anakin exerted some influence.

"I was ordered to show that the Duchess could not protect her own people," Cree returned, a look of bewilderment crossing his face as he realised he had just answered the question that he hadn't wanted to answer.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "Were you aware that the Duchess was going to be there when you set off the bomb?" If it had been timed for that point without prior knowledge it would have been an attack that she had just been unfortunate to be at.

"Duchess Satine takes a walk there every week," the man replied, this time without influence. That would be information easily attained. There was no point in denying the Jedi an answer with that question.

"Were you trying to assassinate her?" queried Obi-Wan.

No answer, but a slight prod of the Force on Cree's mind and his lips opened of their own accord and said: "No."

"What were you trying to prove?" Despite that question already being asked, Obi-Wan wanted to know if the man would give the exact same answer.

"That the Duchess' peaceful ways are not sufficient enough to protect her own people." Again, through Anakin's influence.

That fitted with his previous answers, Obi-Wan mused. "Who are you working for?"

"A group on Concordia, dedicated to restoring Mandalore's warrior ways," the man answered.

They attempted further questioning; however Cree Srilem could not reveal anything more. His sentence would be decided upon by the Duchess, once she had reviewed the evidence. Armed with the answers they had, the two Jedi left the prison and returned to the Sundari Palace.

* * *

"What do you think?" asked Anakin, as he piloted the speeder back to the Palace.

"We've learnt a few things," answered Obi-Wan, holding up his hand and pointing one finger up. "He doesn't know the identity of his 'employer' which suggests whoever set him up to bomb the memorial shrine doesn't want anyone to know who he is. I think, based on that logic, that it is someone in position of power."

"Someone who is loyal to the Duchess is working against her then," said Anakin.

Obi-Wan nodded. "It seems like it."

"What else we do know?"

"Secondly," Obi-Wan held up a second finger, "we know that this group wants to destabilise the Duchess' rule. It wouldn't surprise me if they attempted a proper assassination attempt."

"Again, sounds reasonable," noted Anakin. "What's the next step?"

"Go to Concordia and investigate," replied Obi-Wan grimly.

Anakin grinned. "I thought you'd say that."

"Then why ask?" Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in exasperation.

* * *

They stood in front of the dias explaining the situation to the Duchess. Ahsoka stood behind them, respecting their positions as Jedi Masters. Anakin was the one briefing the Duchess on what they had learnt from Cree Srilem. It was important that she received all the facts before they could even request to visit Concordia.

"In light of this evidence, Master Kenobi and I would like to visit Concordia to see if we can track down these criminals. They made an attack on a Jedi cruiser and if the bombing on the memorial was ordered by the same group then we have a connection between the two attacks."

The Duchess frowned. "If I grant this, I will have to go to Concordia with you."

"That isn't necessary," said Obi-Wan quickly.

Satine smiled gently at him. "Actually it is. Concordia is a province with its own governor. You'll need me to escort you. You won't make any progress without me there. This prisoner will also have to be transported back. I have decided that his sentence will be determined by his governor, the man he swore allegiance too when he came of age. It is important that I hand the prisoner over personally. Without me there to give you political amenity, you won't get very far in any investigation you may begin."

Obi-Wan sighed. It looked like they would have to be escorted by the Duchess. "If it's the only way we can investigate then we will accept that."

"Good, because only authorised visitors are allowed. You wouldn't be able to land if you'd tried to visit Concordia without me," explained Satine.

_I'm sure we would have found a way, _mused Anakin over their deeply linked bond.

Obi-Wan felt like rolling his eyes again.

* * *

They stood by the Duchess' shuttle waiting for Satine to arrive. The prisoner had already been loaded onto the transport. Ahsoka leaned back against the hull. "So, are we hoping to find this Death Watch?"

"That's the idea," replied Obi-Wan. "We need to keep a close eye on our prisoner. Death Watch may consider Cree Srilem a threat. They may act against him."

"Possible assassination attempt?" queried Ahsoka.

"That's what I'm thinking." Obi-Wan glanced at Ahsoka. "I'd like you to keep an eye on the prisoner. Anakin and I will carry out the investigation."

Ahsoka nodded, bowing her head slightly in respect of the Jedi Master. "Yes Master."

"Also, be on the lookout for any hint that Death Watch could be involved with Dooku," instructed Obi-Wan. "Though he's only just escaped…"

"It could still be a possibility," finished Anakin, frowning slightly. "There is more to this than meets the eye, I'm sure of it."

Obi-Wan nodded. "I'd be surprised if these events were just a coincidence."

Ahsoka ran a hand down one of her long tendrils. "You can count on me. Anyone is considered a suspect involved in Death Watch."

Obi-Wan stroked his chin. "That's the best way to do it. Anyone could be a traitor. If there is a reason for them to do it, they will." He looked at the Duchess as she approached them.

Satine wore simple clothing rather than the elaborate dress that was customary for her to wear. "Master Kenobi."

"Duchess," he replied, making a short bow.

"You didn't have to wait for me to board my ship," she said.

"I'd rather have your permission then find out I was wrong to proceed," he responded wisely.

Satine chuckled. "You are far too polite, Master Kenobi."

A faint grin crossed his face. "It is the Jedi way, Duchess."

She smiled and walked past him, heading for the ramp of the ship. "Come on then," she said over her shoulder. "Concordia awaits."

* * *

Concordia loomed in the viewport, speckles of green land dotted around. As they broke through the atmosphere, a small city loomed up, embedded into the mountainside, the rocky terrain offering protection against any attack – ground or airbourne.

Obi-Wan stroked his chin. "I thought Concordia was an agricultural settlement."

"It was turned into a mining base before the end of our wars. Our forests were destroyed by the sheer number of mining facilities. After all this time, they are finally growing back," explained Satine.

"That's good to hear. Mandalore has grown, flourished. Your rule has helped bring back life to a failing system, once beleaguered by war," said Obi-Wan. "I hope this continues."

Satine smiled faintly. "So do I."

Sitting in the pilot seat, Anakin glanced over his shoulder. "We are coming in for the landing."

"Don't worry, we are strapped in," said Ahsoka over the com in the hold.

Anakin laughed. "I promise I won't crash this time."

Satine looked alarmingly at Obi-Wan. "_This _time?"

"Anakin once had problems landing ships during the war. We were mostly shot down. It did happen more to Anakin, however," replied Obi-Wan mildly. "It hasn't happened since," he tried to reassure her.

"Master Skywalker just likes to joke!" responded Ahsoka over the com unit.

Deftly Anakin piloted the ship down through the atmosphere and into the hanger, landing on the struts perfectly. "There, see? Nothing to worry about."

Satine unbuckled her seatbelt and stood up, leading the way out of the ship and down the ramp where a man stood waiting, flanked by two guards.

Obi-Wan strolled behind her.

The man walked forward, his blonde hair slicked back and a kind smile on his face. He held out a hand to the Duchess. "Duchess Satine, you are most welcome."

"Thank you, Governor Vizsla." Satine turned to acknowledge her Jedi guests. "May I present Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker representing the Jedi Council. Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano will join us shortly. She is dealing with our prisoner. Governonr Vizsla is one of the officials I told you about. He has been working to find the members of the Death Watch."

Both Obi-Wan and Anakin gave respectful bows.

"I take it you have heard the rumours about Satine, about how she is supposedly working with rogue elements of the former Separatist alliance?"

"We may have done," answered Anakin, non-committedly.

"Master Skywalker and I have specific instructions to seek the truth," replied Obi-Wan staunchly.

Vizsla nodded, his eyes now turning to face the man who Ahsoka was escorting down the ramp. His eyes hardened for the briefest of seconds before the widened, however that was not lost on either Obi-Wan or Anakin.

Vizsla walked forward. He was the same height as the prisoner. "This was the man who bombed the memorial shrine?"

"It is," answered Obi-Wan cautiously. "He is apparently a part of Death Watch."

"He will be dealt with accordingly to Concordian laws," said Viszla.

"We have already interrogated Cree Srilem," said Anakin. "His answers were most interesting."

"Really?" Vizsla looked surprised. "We will have to compare notes." He gave a short bow. "If you excuse me, I need to sort out your prisoner." The Governor walked away, his guards taking charge of the prisoner from Ansoka.

Anakin leaned into Obi-Wan. "Did you notice that his heart-rate went up when he saw the bomber?" he whispered.

"I did," returned Obi-Wan. He watched as Anakin mentally communicated with his Padawan, and Ahsoka quickly rushed off towards Vizsla and the prisoner who were just leaving the hanger.

Satine scrutinised them with her pale blue eyes, having overheard their whispered conversation. "What are you thinking?"

Stroking his beard, Obi-Wan turned to face her. "I need a favour from you. Please keep Governor Vizsla busy at dinner."

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'd like to see one of these mining facilities. Why are they still here if they are not needed?" he replied.

"You want to determine if they are operational," said Satine, her voice a little hard with perhaps a touch of an accusationary tone within it.

"Though we would hope they are not," interjected Anakin.

"You are going too?" Satine's eyes widened.

"No," Anakin shook his head. "I'm going to protect you. Obi-Wan and I have ways of communicating with one another. If he gets into trouble I can leave, but I'll loan you a com-unit just in case something happens to you."

"This is really reassuring," commented Satine dryly.

Anakin grinned. "And Ahsoka will always be around."

Satine glanced over at Obi-Wan who had clambered onto a speeder-bike and had kick-started the engine. "Just remember you are here under my protection. Please try not to cause trouble where none yet exists!"

"Think of me as searching for solutions!" retorted Obi-Wan, grinning.

Satine called out to him. "I have to tell you, I'm opposed to all of this!"

Chuckling, Obi-Wan replied: "I'd be disappointed if you weren't!" He pulled back on the throttle and sped out of the hanger into the encroaching darkness, leaving Anakin with the mission of protecting the Duchess.

**To be continued…**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So there were some changes to the broadcast episode in this chapter (the fact Anakin not Ahsoka were in the episode is one change… but I hope the changes that were made are making sense and are making the story enjoyable…) The next chapter will be posted next week. **

**(And there will be some Anakin/Padmé stuff coming up at some point. I just don't know when. For the moment I am concentrating on building up Obi-Wan and Satine.)**

**Until then,**

**the-writer1988**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N) Here we are... for another chapter in which I'm continuing the adaptation of _The Mandalore Plot_. I'm glad this story is going down well, and I promise that once my other Star Wars fic has been finished, I will be making this one my priority so updates will be faster very soon. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Ahsoka followed Vizsla through the doors that led into the wider mansion in which he lived. He had reluctantly allowed Ahsoka to join him, though she could tell he didn't like it. She watched him wearily, keeping in mind how he felt in the Force.

The cells to which the prisoner was led were located down in the depths of the mansion. The prison was small, dusty and it appeared it had not been used in years. There was a horrible smell to it when they entered. Ahsoka winkled her nose. Anakin's instructions through their bond had been specific: follow Vizsla, even if it meant impeding upon his private conversations.

"Are you not needed with your Master?" enquired Vizsla politely, however Ahsoka could sense the irritation radiating off of him.

She shook her head, her head tails swinging slightly in the movement. "Oh no. My instructions are to learn about how other cultures deal with prisoners. It is all part of my Jedi training. If I get the opportunity to see other cultures in action, then it is a better learning experience for me and only enhances my knowledge of that particular planet and its culture. Textbooks can only do so much." That was the cover story Anakin had advised her to use if the Governor dared to question her.

Vizsla sniffed. "I suppose I have something to teach you, however Cree Srilem will remain in prison until I have reviewed his case. As Duchess Satine is visiting, I am afraid I cannot show you the process of how we deal with prisoners," he explained, if a bit smugly.

"Oh, that's a shame," replied Ahsoka, keeping her voice polite. She had a sneaking suspicion that the prisoner would be killed by the guards as soon as Vizsla left the cell. Those instructions would have been issued prior to him gaining custody of the prisoner. He had known in advance that three Jedi were coming to Concordia with the prisoner. It only made sense for him to be prepared.

"If you excuse me, I have a report to write." Vizsla gave a slight bow and started to walk back down the corridor.

Ahsoka bit her lip. Her original assignment had been to keep an eye on the prisoner but she also was required to keep an eye on Vizsla. The trouble was that the Governor had just succeeded in getting away from her. She couldn't exactly come up with another excuse as to why she needed to follow his every move. The Governor likely suspected the true reason why she was following him.

So she did what she needed to do: Ahsoka followed the Governor, knowing full well that it was likely the prisoner was going to die, but there was nothing she could do about it.

* * *

The room that Satine had been given was small, not really befitting her status as Duchess; however Anakin quickly learned that she didn't mind that. She preferred to be treated as one of the people.

Anakin grinned as Satine smiled at him. She was quite an attractive woman, when she wasn't adorning the head-dress; however she wasn't his type, though he could see why Obi-Wan might be attracted to her.

"Tell me, Master Jedi, what was it like being Obi-Wan's apprentice?" asked Satine softly, surprising Anakin with the question.

"How did you know he had taught me?" he asked. They had never said and he couldn't see why Obi-Wan would mention it to her, considering that he had been a Master for a while now.

"You have a Master-Apprentice bond – that is why you have ways of communicating," said Satine. "Obi-Wan had one with his Master. They did spend a year protecting me," she added, noting Anakin's surprised expression. "I saw them using it quite frequently. I am certain I know exactly how you two can communicate but yours seems deeper then what Master Jinn's and Obi-Wan's was… I am certain my theory is correct… Only bonded Master and Apprentices can do that, therefore yourself and Obi-Wan must have, at least, once been teacher and pupil."

Anakin folded his arms. "That is very astute of you."

"Master Kenobi and I got on very well," added Satine. "It is good to see him again," she continued wistfully.

A slight smile tugged at Anakin's lips. He could sense her emotions regarding his former Master.

"So, are you going to answer my question about Obi-Wan's teaching abilities?" hinted Satine, slyly.

"Well…" shrugged Anakin, "if you want to know how bad he was…" he laughed. "Nah. He was brilliant. He did something for me that I can never pay him back for." Bringing Obi-Wan back from the brink of death simply did not count. It had been Obi-Wan's original request to the Council to free Shmi Skywalker from slavery that had enabled that to happen. He still owed his Master so much. He noticed Satine's questioning look. "I was a slave before I trained as a Jedi. Qui-Gon freed me but he couldn't free my mother. I had to leave her in slavery." That first year at the Jedi Temple had been difficult for him, knowing the conditions he had left his mother in. "A year into my training, Obi-Wan petitioned the Council to free her. They agreed, taking a big risk in allowing me frequent visits to her and maintaining my attachment to her. She was given a job in the Temple. Her being in my life helped me."

"And she aided in you becoming closer with your Master than ever before?" stated Satine.

"Yes," answered Anakin, for that was completely true. His mother had enabled his bond with Obi-Wan to become incredibly powerful. Even now they still shared that connection. They would go down in history as the Jedi the revolutionised the Jedi Order, though that was more down to Obi-Wan then Anakin.

"I always knew he cared a lot about others."

"A Jedi is meant for to care for all life," noted Anakin wisely: a lesson he had learned in one of his first ever lessons. "Obi-Wan is a phenomenal teacher. I've already roped him into training my son."

"Your son?" Satine's eyebrows rose. "I thought Jedi could not marry?"

"It's a recent change," admitted Anakin. "Jedi are free to marry and have children. My mother being a part of my life and being a positive influence on me is the crux of that change in decision of that specific law. I'm married to Senator Amidala of Naboo. She had twins, six months ago. Luke and Leia." An image of his two children burst into his mind. He missed them when he was on assignments. "Not many Jedi have chosen to pursue a relationship."

"I had heard that Padmé had married but didn't know it was to you," replied Satine. "She is one of my friends though we rarely have a chance to communicate."

"Thank you." Anakin glanced at his chrono. "Isn't it nearly time for dinner?"

Satine nodded. "I believe it is. Shall we head on down?"

"At your command," bowed Anakin.

Satine walked past him. "There is no need to address me with such formality, Master Skywalker." She palmed the door and walked through.

Anakin shook his head. He quite liked the feisty Duchess. He could see why Obi-Wan harboured feelings for her. His stomach rumbled, reminding himself that he hadn't eaten since arriving on Mandalore. If his Master was here, he would comment that his appetite was incorrigible. Obi-Wan, would, of course, be right.

* * *

About a mile and a half from the hanger from where they had departed, Obi-Wan found himself stopping the speeder bike outside one of the abandoned mines. Surrounded by craggy rocks and tight opening paths in the mountain ranges, the mining base was hidden well. If he hadn't been looking for the, he would have easily have missed them.

Keeping one hand on his lightsaber hilt, Obi-Wan moved forward to the steel doors blocking the entrance. The panel seemed simple enough. He pressed the button on the left and the doors opened. "How convenient," he muttered.

He walked into a long tunnel, in which the middle, from the door and leading around the corner, was an assembly line, stacked with armour and weaponry. "Definitely not abandoned. In fact it looks recently used."

Obi-Wan proceeded further into the mine, turning let at the end of the tunnel and entering an even larger area. Bright lights flicked on above him, highlighting the wider area. The larger space was filled with stacks of armour and weaponry, all looked gleaming new and ready for use.

Walking over to one assembly line filled with helmets, Obi-Wan lifted one from the conveyer belt, inspecting the design. It was the exact same helmet worn by the Mandalorian attacker on the Republic cruiser. He was certainly in the right place.

Suddenly his danger sense flared, and he whirled, lightsaber igniting as he deflected four blaster bolts in quick succession, as an armoured man clambered over tall boxes, scattered throughout the factory floor (because who was he kidding, it was certainly that!) to attack him. The bolts bounced harmlessly away.

"Wait!" he yelled out, holding up one hand in a gesture of peace. "I'm here on a diplomatic mission! I'm under the protection of Duchess Satine!" If his attacker was part of Death Watch they were unlikely to notice or acknowledge her rule of the system, and he was quickly proven right by his assertion.

"We do not recognise her rule!" A second armed soldier said, coming up behind him, hoping to surprise him.

Obi-Wan rolled out of the way, hefting his lightsaber out in front of him as he came out of the role, blocking another few bolts. "I don't want to fight!"

The two armoured soldiers ignored him. One rushed him, grabbing him by the throat, whereas the other punched him in the gut. Not wanting to harm either for wanting to get answers, he avoided lashing them with his blade, but the punch in his gut nearly made him drop his weapon as he tried to double over in pain, but the grip on his throat only intensified.

Obi-Wan kicked out but the warrior moved aside, and then lunged for his wrist, twisting the Jedi's wrist sharply, causing his fingers to loosen and his lightsaber blade to tumble to the floor. _Ow! _The Mandalorian warrior kicked the hilt out of the way, and stark reality rushed in. They were intent on bringing him down.

His right arm was nearly yanked from his socket as he tried to use the Force to bring his lightsaber back to him.

_Anakin!_ He yelled down the bond. _Slight problem! I've encountered some trouble! _

He felt Anakin's presence flood his mind, concern radiating from their linked bond.

_Where are you? _

_In a mine! About a mile and a half away! It's Death Watch! I think! _Obi-Wan responded, kicking out at his two attackers, catching one of them on this shin, but the second one formed a fist with his left hand and sent spiralling punch underneath Obi-Wan's chin. He went flying back, landing on his back, and then he scrambled quickly to this feet, trying to avoid the next two attacks but failing miserably.

The two warriors landed hits each, one punching him in the face again, and the other in the stomach.

He doubled over.

A kick to his chest radiated pain up his sternum, sending him once more crashing to the floor in a heap.

He rolled back over, his hand desperately reaching out his lightsaber.

But a booted footed connected with his face.

Blackness descended and he lost his mental connection to Anakin as his body went completely slack and consciousness left him.

* * *

Anakin felt his Master lose his connection to him. The bond was still intact so he knew he wasn't dead, merely unconscious. He growled in frustration – he had a vague idea where his former Master was but it didn't help that he had fallen in to the hands of the Death Watch. Still, at least that development meant they were still active and operating within distance of Pre Vizsla's home.

Unfortunately, Ahsoka was still tailing Vizsla and the bomber so he couldn't just leave the Duchess.

He reached into the bond he shared with his Padawan. _Ahsoka! _

Her presence flooded his mind. _Master?_

_Where are you? _

_In the ducts! I'm following Governor Vizsla! I think he suspects something so I'm having to improvise! _she explained.

_You can still fit in ducts? _Anakin would have thought she'd be getting too big, especially with her montrals growing steadily over the last few months.

_Just about! _she responded. Then she noted: _You're anxious. What has happened? _

Anakin sighed. _Obi-Wan has encountered some trouble with the Death Watch. He's unconscious. _

_That's bad… What do you want me to do? _asked Ahsoka.

_Come back when Vizsla does, then I'll sneak out and go and find him. I dare not risk leaving the Duchess alone. I'd rather we kept an eye on the Governor too. _He didn't elaborate; he trusted in Ahsoka to understand his meaning and why he had to prioritise one thing over the other.

_You don't trust the Governor? _she theorised.

_No, I don't. If he is connected to Death Watch, then he will soon be contacted about Obi-Wan's capture. Just keep an eye on him. _

_You can count on me, Master, _she replied spritely.

_Good. Keep in contact. Be ready, just in case the tide turns against us. _

_I will, _she promised.

Anakin was shaken from the bond by Satine's voice echoing through it. They were waiting for the Governor in his relaxation room which had a drinks cabinet settled within it and a food processor attached to the nearby wall.

"I thought Governor Vizsla was meant to be here by now…" she mused, sounding a little worried.

The Governor had sent Satine a message, giving her the time and place she needed to be downstairs for dinner. The problem was, was that he was not here and that made Anakin feel uneasy.

He would trust in Ahsoka. He just hoped that Obi-Wan wouldn't get himself into any deeper trouble. But knowing his Master he would do exactly that.

**To be continued...**

**Please let me know what you think! **

**So, Obi-Wan has got himself in trouble... (I think this is becoming a common theme within my stories...) **

**The next chapter will be posted soon. (It's already hand-written, I just need to type it up). **

**Until next time, **

**the-writer1988**


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